decorating Archives - Page 7 of 7 - Bruzzese Home Improvements

Secrets Of Upcycling Success

April 24, 2013adminDIY Projects, Home Improvement Tipsdecorating, DIY projects, home trendsLeave a comment

Upcycling: Breathe new life into decor with a dash of DIY inspiration

If you’ve ever looked around your house and gotten the urge to purge, you might consider pausing and first thinking about how you could transform that old, damaged piece of furniture or outdated light fixture into a fresh-faced showpiece for your home.

Not only are you doing something good for the environment – and likely your pocketbook – by restoring something, you’re embracing your inner creativity. You can make a truly one-of-a-kind decor piece, tailored to your personality and style.

This notion of restoring and reusing items that would otherwise be cast aside to the junkyard or thrift store is called “upcycling,” and it’s a trend that has caught on quickly, especially in home design. With a little inspiration, creativity and the right tools, you can tackle countless decorating projects with things you already have around your home. And the best part? Upcycled pieces make for great conversation starters, often tell a good story and can even be sold for a much higher price than you put into them.

So where do you start? Here are some helpful tips for tackling your own upcycling projects.

Start with a little inspiration

Take a look through magazines, home design blogs and websites to gather inspiration. Look for pieces that catch your eye and have the same structure and “bones” as the items in your home that you’d like to restore.

Shop around without breaking the bank

Decorating your home doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Look around your basement, attic, or at yard sales and consignment shops for free or inexpensive items that you might be able to breathe new life into. The old adage “never judge a book by its cover” would apply here. Do your best to look beyond an item’s current condition and let the inspiration you’ve gleaned take over as you see its full potential in a different light. If the piece has some defects, don’t immediately overlook it. Sometimes perfection and personality can be found in the imperfection.

Secrets of upcycling success

The secret to any do-it-yourself project is to plan ahead. Beyond finding the inspiration for a project, gather the supplies and tools you’ll need, read up on step-by-step instructions, dedicate a roomy workspace where everything is at your fingertips, and be sure to carve out time to focus on the project.

But the No. 1 secret of upcycling success is to be patient and not get discouraged. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. It’s OK to make mistakes because sometimes you’ll uncover hidden beauty during the process. The important part is that you find the whole experience of restoring and reusing rewarding.

Tips To Refresh Your Home For Spring

March 27, 2013adminhome improvement, Home Improvement Tipsdecorating, DIY projects, home decor, home improvement, home trends, springLeave a comment

Three stress-free tricks to refresh your home from floor to ceiling

Spring is the time of year for renewal. So, it’s no surprise that springtime finds most people planning to rejuvenate their spaces. Four out of five Americans have a room in their home in need of redecorating, according to a 2013 study by Homegoods. Unfortunately, all too often the decorating process is a source of stress and anxiety for homeowners. How will you ever afford new furniture in your living room? How can you be on-trend without dating your home?

Follow these three tips to give your home a stress-free, springtime makeover:

Reclaiming your home’s foundation

Chances are your floors took a beating during the winter. Spring is the ideal time to install new flooring and revamp one of your home’s most important components. As the foundation of your home, your flooring needs to complement your personal taste, while living up to your lifestyle in terms of traffic, household members and pets, exposure to moisture and maintenance required. With the countless color and design options, the wide range of flooring materials and your own budgetary considerations, you may find selecting flooring to be particularly stressful.

Tapping into the customer-focused trends of high-end and online retailers, Tarkett empowers customers as they shop for flooring. Tarkett’s iSelect system delivers exactly what the name promises. It lessens the unknowns, simplifies the choices and introduces an interactive, multi-faceted shopping experience. The system begins with sorting multiple flooring options into six inspirational color families: Champagne Celebrations, Cool Conversations, Earthy Connections, Evening Receptions, Fireside Chats and Warm Gatherings – each offering its own feel and color space to help you find the perfect floor to coordinate with your existing furnishings and adjoining floors. Visit www.tarkettna.com/Inspiration/iSelectStory to walk through the iSelect process and find the perfect, customized floor for your taste, lifestyle, budget and even health. Once you’ve used the iSelect flooring system to decide what flooring works best for you, feel free to head on over to your local home improvement store where you might find similar flooring at cheaper prices!

Sweat the small stuff

Instead of worrying about the new armoire you can’t afford, focus your energy on the finishing touches which can revitalize a space quickly and inexpensively. Paying attention to the details is a cost-effective and fun way to express yourself in spaces throughout your home, while also making each space feel complete.

Mirrors have a magical effect on a room by making a space feel larger, reflecting light throughout and adding a touch of panache. You can find a wide variety of hanging mirrors to fit your taste at discount retailers or you can purchase a mirror at an estate sale or secondhand store and “upcycle” it with a textured coat of spray paint.

The sky’s the limit

If you really want to embrace the warm weather and revitalize a room, it may be time to look up. One of the most popular design trends of 2013 is painting your ceiling. This blank and all-too-often-overlooked canvas has tremendous potential to transform a bedroom, living room or dining room. It can be as simple as repainting a white ceiling a very pale blue or gray to create the illusion that there is no ceiling. Or if you’re feeling bolder, you can make your ceiling a major accent element that gives a dull room a bright or daring splash of color. Be sure to contact us or give us a call at 914-576-2572 so that we can schedule a free in home design consultation!

Spring decorating should be an enriching experience, rather than a stressful one. Whether it’s budget, time or simply choosing among the vast number of options available, the usual redecorating stress triggers can be eliminated by focusing on simpler, cost-effective and empowering decor solutions.

Flowers that Find Winter Appealing

December 17, 2012adminlawn and garden, Winter Tipsdecorating, DIY projects, garden, home decor, home improvement, landscaping, winterLeave a comment

Are you a gardening enthusiast that’s just starting out his journey in the world of growing flowers? Know that before you actually begin creating a flower garden you should acquaint yourself with the matter. It’s always better when someone explains to you what to do instead of having to teach yourself the hard way by trying and failing several times. This is why acquiring some information prior to starting to grow flowers will only make it easier on you. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place. Now that winter is right around the corner, winter-blooming flowers are something you can begin preparing with.

Hellebores are flowers that are nowhere to be found in a summer garden because they go dormant. Reviving at the end of November with large dark-green leaves and blooming in January/February, the Helleborus vesicarius gives green blossoms with burgundy marks on the inside and outside of its cup-shaped form. Depending on the type, hellebores start blooming in November up until April. A lot of them self-sow, so you even don’t have to plant them again. Other species like Helleborus multifidus, Helleborus cyclophyllus, Helleborus odorus and Helleborus viridis also blossom in the winter. Hellebore flowers are typically seen in Europe.

Helleborus niger or the Christmas rose allows us to enjoy its flowers at the end of November but there are other variations that bloom as late as March. Some of its blossoms have a diameter of 10 cm/4 inches; others are way smaller – down to 2.5 cm/1 inch in diameter.

Phlox nivalis is another flower that blooms in the winter. It may start blooming in the early November. It’s flowers are large and bright pink. Phloxes enjoy the winter sun and require good drainage. Phlox douglasii shows its blossoms in December with purple to violet shades. Phlox is a common flower for North America.

Iris unguicularis is another type of flower in the group of the winter-blooming ones. The first blossoms can be noticed in the middle of November. Its leaves are slender and the flowers are blue-purple. In the summer this type of iris is dormant. It’s advisable not to water it too much even if the summer is dry.

Iris reticulata deigns to open its bluish grey leaves in late December, but its flowers bloom in early February. The winter sun seems to best appeal to the flower because it chooses to blossom during the cold period. As for the soil, Iris reticulata is not very pretentious – an ordinary one will do just fine. Iris flowers can typically be seen in the northern temperature zone.

Snowdrops and crocuses grow from bulbs and look very delicate and fragile, but you probably already know that. Galanthus caucasicus (a type of snowdrop) starts blooming at the end of November and continues until Christmas when Galanthus nivalis takes the lead. Both of the flower species like dry soil in the summer and moist in the winter as well as the sunbeams in the coldest months. Snowdrops are typically seen throughout Europe.

Crocus laevigatus has violet to purple petals and is fragrant. This delicate beauty can be seen around Christmas. There are other species of the Crocus genus that bloom in January, February or early March.

Winter flowers must be fond of the cold weather, unlike people, since this is the season they choose to unveil their beauty to us. These flowers honor winter with special attention. It takes courage to survive the coldest season, which the flowers above definitely have.

Guest post by:

Bio: Daisy Hart is a writer and blogger with great flair for flowers and flower decoration. She is focused on writing the best possible way and is constantly searching for new sources of inspiration. Her present article treats: common and unusual winter flowers related thematic.

Five fast home decor updates with fantastic results

December 9, 2012adminhome improvementdecorating, home decor, home improvement, home trends, kitchensLeave a comment

With the fast-paced lives people can lead today, often we strive for instant gratification to fit into our busy schedules. So when it comes to home improvement projects, wouldn’t you love an instant update for boring home decor? Fortunately, there are numerous fast fixes that can produce fantastic results. Try these easy update ideas and realize the rewards of a fabulous and functional home makeover.

Let it rain

Wish your basic bathroom was a relaxing retreat? You can quickly achieve serenity by simply swapping out your shower head The new Moen Halo rainshower, available at The Home Depot, is a perfect pick. Halo features an innovative, pivoting double-ring design which provides 60 percent more coverage than traditional non-pivoting rainshowers, while offering three spray settings – full rainshower, deep massage and relaxing massage – for a spa-like experience. With an easy two-step installation you can upgrade your bathroom in no time.

New life to lighting

Light is an important element for any room – but are your lamps looking a bit lackluster? Turn older lamps from trash to treasure with a coat of spray paint. Today’s spray paint offerings provide endless choices – from shiny metallics to subdued hammered or brushed finishes – which can create the style you desire in minutes. Finish off by illuminating your creation with a new lamp shade to complete a magnificent makeover in no time.

Fabulous frames

Photo frames are the ideal choice to add a decorative and personalized touch to your shelves and tables. Bring this common decor pick into the modern age by simply updating standard photo frames with new digital versions. -Available in a variety of sizes, shapes and finishes – and for modest prices – you’ll soon enjoy ever-changing slideshows of your family, friends and favorite moments. Think you’re not tech-savvy or it will take too long to do? Many frames allow you to simply insert the memory card from your camera to create the instant show. Plus, you’ll no longer have to worry about choosing the perfect picture or the trouble of developing and sizing it to fit the frame.

Charisma with color

It’s proven that color can influence our mood, making it an important element to consider for every room in your home. Adding small accents of color within a space can be an instant and easy update that can change with your mood. For living rooms or bedrooms, plush throw pillows or blankets can create an entirely different look and feel. Try bold colors to add vibrant energy, or soft, neutral colors for a calming, warm essence. And don’t be afraid of patterns and textures – a combination of styles can create a look that is completely unique to your style. Next, arouse your sense of smell with aromatic candles and floral arrangements. Finally, in kitchens and baths, swap your basic hand towels for a new vibrant color or design. You’ll find making small updates can be simple, yet produce dramatic results easily.

Faucet focus

From prep to clean-up the kitchen faucet is one essential you interact with on a frequent basis everyday, so if yours is not up to the job, it’s time for an update. The new Haysfield with MotionSense from Moen makes it easy to accomplish a variety of routine tasks with speed and efficiency. A simple hand movement sets water in motion in an instant and helps prevent the spread of germs. And, replacing a kitchen faucet can be a surprisingly simple do-it-yourself project. Simply follow the enclosed directions, or utilize online installation guides and videos, and you’ll soon enjoy the fashion and functionality of your new faucet.

When you’re feeling your home needs an instant update, don’t become overwhelmed. Changes can be simple, fast and cost-effective, while still offering fantastic, functional and stylish results.

Make Your Own DIY Flower-Inspired Home Decoration

November 8, 2012adminDIY Projectsdecorating, DIY projects, home decor3 Comments

Feeling crafty enough today? How about some ideas for flowery decoration? Fresh flowers arranged with a clear vision all around your home will certainly make it look welcoming. A well-known fact is that seeing bright colours around brings good mood. It’s all in the way humans perceive the world. So, colours can be associated with flowers (the rhyme is unintentional but fits perfectly). Not only are they beautiful but some of them also carry their own fragrance as a bonus. Now that winter is knocking at the door and your mood seems to get gloomier, so as the weather outside, you can bring spring and summer to your home by decorating it with flower motifs.

It’s always better to have fresh flowers around arranged in a vase that contributes to the overall look of the bouquet without stealing the glam out of the focal point – the head of the floral arrangement. Needless to say, it will look stunning, but this is the most usual thing that can be seen in a home. It’s not that it doesn’t look pretty, but let’s think out of the box and find other ways to use flowers as part of a home decoration.

A combination of candles and flowers sounds tempting enough not to be shown to you. How exactly will they be synchronized in order to make the perfect match? It’s all about imagination, as a beginning. Decorating candles with dry and pressed flowers is an idea that definitely deserves your attention. It’s obvious that you should have dried the flowers beforehand. For this purpose, you may place the flowers in between books and wait for them to dry. This will only work with flat blooms. You can add some dried leaves as well to make the design you’re aiming for more interesting. What you should do is embed the flowers/leaves onto the candle and then dip this in heated clear wax. Voila! There you have a one-of-its-kind flower design on your candle.

And since we are on the topic of dried flowers, there is something else you can do with them. This thing requires having a picture frame. You’ve already guessed what is suggested here. Placing the pressed flowers in a frame, perhaps a vintage one, with some kind of a paper as a background, or even a drawing, is a way to make your home look more chic and less ordinary. The thought that you did this yourself will warm your heart each time you look at your creation.

How does the idea of a floral lampshade sound to you? Perfect! Let’s make one, then. You won’t believe how easy it actually is. What you’ll need is some fake flowers to glue onto the lampshade. This is all it takes. You can put as many as you want and in the colour you prefer. It will surely add a romantic feel your bedroom.

A floral napkin ring is the next thing you can use fake flowers for. Choose ones that look fancy. It’s preferable to use flowers made of silk because, this way, the result of your project will look more delicate. Regular napkin rings will do perfectly. You just have to glue or sew the flower on them. Your guests will be astonished at this presentation, especially when you tell them you did it yourself.

Now that you have the ideas, start applying them in order to create unique pieces that will certainly adorn you home.

Guest post by:

Daisy Hart is a writer and blogger with great flair for flowers and flower decoration. She is focused on writing the best possible way and is constantly searching for new sources of inspiration. Her present article treats: flowerdelivery home decorating flowers thematic.

Home Staging for Sales Success

October 27, 2012adminHome Organization Tips, Tips to sell your home, Uncategorizeddecorating, home staging3 Comments

We came across this great ebook about home staging that is just packed full of great info we had to share it with you. Perfect for real estate agents or people who are selling their homes. It features lots of tips about how to find a home stager, the theories behind home staging and is it worth it to hire a home stager. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Courtesy of Scott Levitt
President, Oakley Signs & Graphics
Tuesday Tactics

Please click here to download your free copy!

52 Unexpected and Amazing Ways to Decorate Pumpkins

October 24, 2012adminDIY Projectsdecorating, DIY projects, Halloween, home decor, pumpkinsLeave a comment

It’s happening again, people! The parade of pumpkin pies, pancakes, and spiced lattes has begun, proclaiming loudly that fall is here, and Halloween, with its triangle-eyed, orange faces, is right around the corner.

For your autumnal decor to really stand out, the classic jack o’ lantern just doesn’t cut it anymore. That’s why we’ve collected the most creative examples (Click here to continue reading and see the incredible decorated pumpkins!)

by Kristina Grosspietsch, October 10th, 2012
via: http://www.bobvila.com

Think of lighting as art for your home

May 25, 2012adminhome improvementdecorating, home decor, home trends, lighting, remodeling tipsLeave a comment

Lighting is possibly the most powerful tool you have when it comes to interior design. It does not make sense to invest in beautiful furniture, rugs, paintings and accessories if they are in the dark. The perfect light fixture not only illuminates a space – it is also a beautiful, decorative design element.

“When looking for a light fixture, think of yourself as a curator looking for a perfect piece of art,” says interior designer Laurie Smith, known for her role as a featured designer on the hit television show Trading Spaces (2000-2008). Smith says, “Like art, a fabulous fixture can make a strong design statement, as well as provide illumination for your space.”

Often consumers do not realize the difference updated lighting can make in their homes. Smith suggests finding one special piece and building a room around it. “In design school, we learned that lighting is the most exciting and mysterious medium in design. Lighting is sculptural; it’s textural, it’s exciting,” she says.

“There are so many varying styles and designs in lighting today that the possibilities are endless. Different materials and shapes are just part of what goes into determining that perfect fixture,” says Smith. “For instance, do you want the shape of your piece to contrast with your room’s schematic or coordinate with it? Taking a traditional fixture and placing it into a modern setting creates interest through contrast, while taking a sleek modern fixture and putting it into a traditional setting infuses new vitality and a sophisticated accent.”

With so many choices on the market, the task of selecting a light fixture can be difficult and overwhelming for many homeowners. It’s just a matter of developing a plan or one idea. To help consumers get started, Smith talks about the importance of lighting to interior design in a new video series. Each minute-long video, created by the American Lighting Association, focuses on a different aspect of lighting and ways to incorporate it into every homeowner’s design plan.

Videos in the series include:

* Choosing the Right Lighting Fixture
* Find an Object of Inspiration
* The Impact of a Single Lamp
* Lighting Fixtures as Art

The videos can be viewed on the ALA website at www.AmericanLightingAssoc.com.

How do you think lighting can change the appearance of your home? We love to hear your feedback!

Interior design trends

April 14, 2012adminhome improvementcolor schemes, decorating, home decor, home improvement, painting, springLeave a comment

Easy seasonal changes refresh and revive your home:

Spring’s new growth and warm sunshine provide inspiration for renewal in our lives. It’s a time to pack away the sweaters and boots for lighter layers and brimmed hats. Homeowners should embrace this same mindset – one where you pack away the heavy textures and colors of winter in favor of breezy fabrics and fun decor that inspire a fresh feeling in your house.

Break out of the winter gloom by making some simple changes to your home with bright, fresh decor. Here are the top trends in interior decorating that capture the optimistic feeling of springtime, without having to spend a lot of time or money.

1. Color your world happy
To uplift your mood and give your home a new personality, color should be the first thing you address. Paint is an easy and affordable way to dramatically change a living space. Spring’s hot color palette includes rich hues of blue and turquoise, vibrant pink and orange tones, and soft greens and neutrals. Visit your local Lowe’s for inspiration from the paint color studio that allows do-it-yourselfers to identify the “hot” paint colors of the season and even pick up samples of each hue to try at home.

Feeling adventurous? Dabble in some vibrant shades inspired by the flora and fauna in your region. Love the bright red of blooming tulips? How about the rich blue of the sky at the noon hour? Try picking one thing and paint it that bold color – a single wall, a door, or even a piece of furniture. Watch as the entire room suddenly comes to life.

2. Mix in light and fresh decor
Making small changes to your home’s decor is a great way to refresh the interior, and you don’t have to spend a ton of money. Window treatments are a great place to start – replace dense fabrics with airy options that beg to blow in the warm breeze.

Next, store away existing rugs and replace with ones that feature bright colors or botanical designs. Dark accent pillows can be replaced with fluffy, colorful options that add life to dated couches and chairs. Seasonal decor changes are simple and can be swapped out year after year.

3. Bring the feeling of “green” indoors
The buds and blooms of spring are a big reason it’s such an inspirational season, and houseplants are a great tool for awakening that sense of nature and bringing the outdoors inside. Houseplants make any room look more luxurious, and they are natural air cleaners, awakening the senses of spring’s fresh air. Good, low-maintenance indoor houseplants include the peace lily, spider plant and snake plant.

Interior decor can also reflect the natural feeling that indoor plants provide. Coordinate pieces that feature nature’s elements, such as a leaf motif on a lamp shade or a beach scene on a piece of wall art. These elements, while subtle, will work together to provide a seamless update to any drab decor.

4. Cut the clutter
Of course any home refresh is not complete without some cleaning. Don’t let spring cleaning overwhelm you – start small and go through any clutter, sorting into piles to use, store, give away and throw away. A good dusting goes a long way too, so be sure to hit all the surfaces with a damp cloth. Shine up mirrors, which will reflect that beautiful spring sunshine to brighten and enlarge the feeling of the room.

To stay on top of your organization and home management, create a MyLowe’s profile at www.lowes.com/mylowes. While there, you can create a virtual version of your home for easy project planning. You can add items you need or save ideas that inspire you to your profile for easy reference, making it simple to keep track of your to-do list. Millions of people are currently using the program to make home project management simple.

Changing your home to reflect the seasons is easy with a few basic steps and a little creativity. Remember to embrace the feeling of spring, and the inspiration will come naturally.

A Jewel Tone Color Palette That Will Make Your Home Appear More Cozy

April 1, 2012adminhome improvementcolor schemes, decorating, home improvement, painting, remodeling tipsLeave a comment

Recently we’ve been inspired by the rich colors of jewel tones and how they can easily change the look and feel in the home. So far, we’ve explored how ruby red can infuse a room with passion, how shades of sapphire and amethyst can make a space feel calm, and how amber can provide a lively touch. This week, it’s about bringing all these rich colors together. What set us off? This photo of stylish heels.

When it comes to decorating, it’s important to remember that jewel tones are vivid, so they work best with other bold colors. For example, amber glassware will look more vibrant on top of a dark green tablecloth as opposed to a pale pink one, and a ruby red chandelier would look extra glamorous in a navy blue setting. If that seems like too many colors in one place, use jewel tones with neutral shades like gray and black.

Also, because of their richness jewel tones can have a cozying effect in a room. Click to continue reading…

Stylelist Home, Stylelist Home Staff

Call Us